Process for cracking oil



Sept. 1, 1931., cs. EGLOFF PROCESS FOR CRACKING OIL Original Filed Dec. 9. 1920 .WMEQQQ Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUSTAV EGLOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS SIGN,OR TO -'O'NIVIEERSAL OIL PRODUCTS v COMPANY; OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA- PROCESS FOB CRACKING OIL Original. application filed December 9,

' This invention relates to improvements in process and apparatus for cracking oil, and refers more particularly to a process in which the oil is distilled'under heat and pressure, certain of the vapors subjected to reflux condensation and subjected to further cracking, the object in the present instance being to subject the reflux condensate to different conditions of temperature or pressure or both than that to which the raw oil is subjected. Another object of the invention is to, if desired, subject part of the apparatus to vacuum action. This application is a division of my application Serial No. 429,319 filed December 9th, 1920 which has since eventuated in Patent No.,1,537,593.

In the drawing, the single figure designates a view partly in Vertical section and partly in side elevation of my improved apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a furnace, provided with combustion chambers 2 and 3, separated preferably by a foraminated bridge wall4inside. In the respective combustion chambers are mounted the heating coils 5 and 6, each of which may take the form of a continuous length of several hundred feet of twoto eight-inch pipe.

. The lower coil 5 is connected by feed line 7 to charging pump 8, leadingto any suitable source of raw oil supply, as for example fuel oil or heavy asphaltic crudes such as California or Mexican crudes containing in themselves little gasoline, or the like. The

. delivery side of the coil 5 is connected by transfer line 9, having throttle valve 10 and pressure gauge 11, to the end of an elongated horizontally disposed expansion chamber 12. This expansion chamber may for example be 68 inches in diameter and 40 to feet long.

' It is located outside the fire zone and suitably I supported above the furnace by means of supports 13. The delivery side of the coil 6 is connected by auxiliary transfer line 14, having throttle valve 15 and pressure gauge 16 to the main transfer line 9. The expansion chamber 12'is provided with residue draw off pipe 17, having throttle valve 18, and with a vapor outlet pipe 19, having throttle valve 20, leadingto the lower side of the dephlegmator 21. Thedephlegmator 21 is provided with 1920, Serial No. 429,319. Divided and this application filed May 9, 1925, Serial No. 29,142. Renewed March 10, 1981.

coil .29 is connected by pipe 31, having throttle valve 32, to the upper part of receiver 33. This receiver 33 has liquid level gauge 3' pressure gauge 35, liquid draw ofl pipe 36, controlled by valve 37. It is also provided with two gas outlet pipes 38 and 39,

controlled by throttle valves 40 and 41 respectively. The pipe 39 is connected to a vacuum pump 42, whereby a vacuum may be maintained on the receiver, condenser, dephlegmator and vapor chamber, or on the receiver alone or receiver and condenser alone, or receiver, condenser and dephlegmator alone. This is accomplished by suitably regulating the various valves shown. The dephlegmator is provided with pressure gauge 43- and the vapor chamber with pressure gauge 44.

The process may be carried out as follows:

Fuel oil, as forexample fuel oil from the \Vayside Kansas field of say 25 degrees Baum, may be heated to a temperature of say 700 degrees F., and subjected to a pressure of say 135 pounds in the heating coil 5, and delivered in substantially liquid phase through the insulated transfer line 9 to the expansion chamber 12. This expansion chamber may be maintained under a pressure of say 135 pounds or as hereinafter pointed out, it may be maintained under a vacuum. The reflux condensate may be pumped back by pump 25 to the heating coil 6, and there subjected to a pressure of 175 pounds and a temperature of say 770 degrees F. It is delivered in substantially liquid the raw oil is subjected. A process may be carried out in the apparatus in the manner just above described, except that the dephlegmator, condenser and receiver, instead of be ing under a pressure of 135 pounds as in the.

first case, maybe subjected to a vacuum through suitably regulating the vacuum pump, opening the valve 41, closing the valve 40, and regulating the valve 20, valves 28 and 32 being also open.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A process of oil conversion, COIlSlStlllg in maintaining a body of heated h drocarbons 1n an enlarged zone where su stantial vaporization occurs, in maintaining said zone under a pressure below atmospheric, in subjecting the vapors to reflux condensation to condense the heavier vapors, in passing the reflux condensate in an advancing stream through a heatin zone where it is subjected to cracking con itions of temperature and pressure, in delivering the heated condensate to said enlarged zone and simultaneously heatin an independent stream of charging stock %or delivery to said enlarged zone to a temperature suflicientto cause a substantial vaporization thereof in said zone, and in introducing said heated charging stock into the enlarged zone.

2. A process of oil conversion, consisting in maintaining a body of heated in drocarbons in an enlarged zone where su stantial vaporization occurs, in maintaining said zone under a pressure below atmospheric, in subjecting the vapors to reflux condensation to condense the heavier vapors, in passing the reflux condensate in an advancing stream through a heatin zone where it is subjected to cracking con itions of temperature and pressure, in delivering the heated condensate to said enlarged zone and simultaneously heatin an independent stream of charging 0 stock or delivery to saidenlarged zone to a temperature sutficient to cause a substan-;

tial vaporization thereof in said zone, and in introducing said heated chargin stock into the enlarged zone and in with rawing the unvaporized oil from said enlarged zone without permitting the same to again enter either of said oil streams.

3. A process of oil conversion, consisting in maintaining a body of heated hydrocarbons in an enlarged zone where vaporization occurs, in subjecting the vapors to reflux con densation to condense the heavier fractions thereof, in passing the reflux condensate in an advancing stream through a heating zone where it is subjected to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, in delivering the heated condensate to said enlarged zone and simultaneously heating an stream of charging oil for delive to said enlarged zone to a temperature sficient to cause a substantial vaporization thereof in said zone, in introducing said heated chargindependent taining sa'id enlarged zone and reflux condenser under a vacuum.

4. A process of oil conversion consisting in maintaining a body of heated hydrocarbons in an enlarged zone where substantial vaporization is permitted, in subjecting the vapors to reflux condensation to condense the.

heavier fractions thereof, in passin the resulting reflux condensate in an a vancing stream through a heating zone where it is subjected to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, in delivering said heated condensate to said enlarged zone and simultaneously heating an independent advancing stream of charging stock to be delivered to said enlarged zone at a temperature lower than the temperature of the stream of reflux condensate but sufliciently high to cause a substantial va orization of the charging stock in said en arged zone, and in maintaining a ressure in said enlarged zone substantially below atmospheric.

5. A process of oil conversion, consisting in continuously introducing into an enlarged zone heated hydrocarbon materials, and. in

- which zone vaporization occurs, in subjecting such vapors to reflux condensation to condense the heavier fractions thereof, in passing reflux condensate in an advancing stream through a heatin zone where it is sub ected to cracking. con ition's of temperature and pressure, in transferring the heated condensate to said enlarged zone, in simultaneously heating a separate stream of charging oil for delivery to said enlarged zone to a-temperature suflicient to cause a substantial vaporization thereof in said zone and in maintaining the oil in said enlarged zone under a vacuum to promote vaporization of a substantial portion thereof. I

6. A process of oil conversion comprising streams. of relatively heavier and lighter hydrocarbons to the body of oil in'said enlarged zone to be commingled therewith.

' GUSTAV EGLOFF.

ing stock into the enlarged zone, and in main- 

